Provincial plaque commemorates St. George the Martyr Anglican Church

MAGNETAWAN, ON, Aug. 12, 2012 /CNW/ - Today, the Ontario Heritage Trust and the parishioners of St. George the Martyr Anglican Church unveiled a provincial plaque to commemorate St. George the Martyr Anglican Church.

The plaque reads as follows:

					St. George the Martyr Anglican Church
					Reverend William Crompton, a travelling missionary, founded an Anglican mission at Magnetawan in 1880. Later that same year, construction began on this church. Built on the Old Nipissing Colonization Road at a time of tremendous growth in the area, the church provided a spiritual centre for the local community and served as an important meeting place for settlers. The building is a fine example of Carpenter Gothic, a late-19th-century architectural style that incorporatOed Gothic-inspired elements on wood-framed buildings. Resting on an outcropping of Precambrian bedrock and built with local timber; the church's location, architectural form and materials connect it to the natural landscape. A.J. Casson, a member of the Group of Seven, captured the iconic, picturesque qualities of this church in his painting Anglican Church at Magnetawan. St. George the Martyr has become a significant landmark and a symbol of the cultural and natural foundations upon which much of the province developed.

The unveiling took place at St. George the Martyr Anglican Church in Magnetawan, Ontario.

The Ontario Heritage Trust's Provincial Plaque Program commemorates significant people, places and events in Ontario's history. The Trust is an agency of the Government of Ontario, dedicated to identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting Ontario's heritage.

QUOTES

"The church is iconic as a representation of the many parishioners who have worshipped here since 1880. The location of the church on the Old Nipissing Colonization Road reminds us that even when settlers arrived and worked very hard in the logging industry, they still took time to build a beautiful place of worship, to find rest there and to derive strength from its services and sense of community."
— Judy Fleming, seasonal resident and parishioner at St. George the Martyr Anglican Church

"We are delighted to celebrate the contributions of Northern Ontario's early settlers. St. George the Martyr Anglican Church serves as a physical reflection of the hard work and dedication of those who helped shape the physical and cultural landscape of this community."
— Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport

"St. George the Martyr Anglican Church continues to play an important role in the lives of area residents as it did for early settlers of the region.  We are proud to commemorate this significant spiritual and cultural landmark that has been carefully preserved and maintained so that it can continue to play a significant role in the community for future generations."
— Thomas H.B. Symons, Chairman of the Ontario Heritage Trust

QUICK FACTS

• Since 1956, over 1,200 provincial plaques have been unveiled.
• Approximately 200 provincial plaques across Ontario commemorate places of worship.

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SOURCE: Ontario Heritage Trust

For further information:

For more information about the Provincial Plaque Program, contact Natasha Williams at 416-212-0952 or [e-mail]

For more information about St. George the Martyr Anglican Church, contact Reverend Jeffery Hooper at 705-636-7038 or [e-mail]

Ontario Heritage Trust
10 Adelaide Street East
Toronto, Ontario  M5C 1J3
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

www.heritagetrust.on.ca